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How Can I Challenge A UK Parking Control PCN?

By HuutiMoney
Page last updated: 02/27/2023 | Next review date: 02/27/2025
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This blog serves to answer the question “How Can I Challenge A UK Parking Control PCN?” You can challenge a UK Parking Control PCN if you know all the 12 contravention codes enforced inside their car parks and also make an effort to search for effective grounds for appealing each one. The reasons for challenging a PCN will differ from you stating that the traffic violation never happened to you mentioning authentic mitigating circumstances for your errors that led to the traffic contravention.

How Can I Challenge A UK Parking Control PCN?

You can challenge a UK Parking Control PCN by writing to their mailing address or by filling in the online PCN challenge form on the UKPC website. If you choose to write to the mailing address, there is a PCN appeals form which needs to be downloaded and printed out before you can send in your challenge. 

You have to fill up this form to attach with your evidence and other documents constituting your PCN challenge. Otherwise if you are filling out the online formal representation form, you just need to fill in the online form given on the car park companies website. This form requires evidence in the form of a video clip or photographs of your traffic violation scene.

You should preferably have this data ready with you on your computer from before you got the PCN if you film regular video clips of your vehicle’s road trips. You might also be using pdf copies of medical certificates relating to your health conditions that affected your driving actions on the traffic violation scene where you were handed the PCN.

You need to clearly explain your point of view of the events that took place at the traffic violation scene, whether they suggest a complete refusal of the event taking place or not. This will be done by connecting your words with the evidence in your PCN challenge.

In many cases, PCNs are not enforceable and you may be able to win your case and avoid having to pay your fine.

You could begin the process by speaking to an online solicitor for as little as £5. 

What is the procedure for appealing against a UK Parking Control PCN?

You can submit a formal representation to your UK Parking Control PCN by writing a letter addressed to UK Parking Control or by filling in the online formal representation form on the UK Parking Control website..

You need to brainstorm reasons to challenge a UK Parking Control PCN from the day of your parking violation incident and list them down in word processing software or on paper. It is essential to have some authentic evidence to attach with your Parking PCN appeal in the form of video footage of your actions inside the car park or videos of you parking your vehicle within the marking of your parking space

 You can make sure to record these each time you visit an UK Parking Control Car Park to have some evidence for challenging a future PCN. You need to save scanned copies of your medical certificates explaining your mitigating circumstances, or scanned copies of your pay and display tickets used at UK Parking Control’s Car Parks. 

The evidence must be matched with the grounds for your appeal before describing the incident from your point of view. Your rough formal representation can be edited for clarity multiple times before it is ready to attach to your online appeal to UK Parking Control Ltd. You need to visit the UK Parking Control website to submit a formal representation to your PCN.. On this webpage you have to enter your PCN Number, Vehicle Registration Number and click on “Lookup Parking Charge” once you are done.. 

You can attach different kinds of files as evidence of your PCN challenge but it is advisable to first convert your videos into photographs to upload onto the UK Parking Control website. Photo and video evidence is the most convincing kind of evidence to prove your case to UK Parking Control Ltd, you can just upload the snapshots from your video to show how the contravention never happened

If you feel any discrepancies between your PCN challenge and your available evidence or if you cannot match the evidence with your representation, you can wait an extra day or two and come back again to complete the form.

You cannot afford any mistakes in your UK Parking Control PCN challenge as a weakly formulated case will fail to convince the car park management company and lead to a Notice of Rejection of Representations.

It is essential to upload authentic evidence material with your UK Parking Control PCN challenge to describe your mitigating circumstances to UK Parking Control Ltd and for explaining your point of view of the events which took place at the traffic violation scene..The text of your appeal must state the relevant contravention code on your PCN and explain how you attempted to avoid the error (supported by photos or video footage).

Once you have proofread your appeal to eliminate any reasons for your challenge which might convey a disregard for traffic contravention codes enforced in UK Parking Controls Car Parks (by mixing up the parking contraventions) or reasons which involve forgetfulness to justify your actions, you can submit the formal representation by clicking on “Submit”.

Another way to send in your UK Parking Control PCN challenge is by mail. You can write down a formal representation on the PCN Appeals form (downloaded and printed out) and attach evidence documents or photographs to the form using a stapler or paper clip. Your letter should mention your UK Parking Control Parking PCN number, date of issue of the PCN, your vehicle registration number, and personal details. 

Your PCN appeals form and all accompanying evidence documents (enclosed in an envelope) need to be sent to:

Appeals,

UK Parking Control,

PO Box 1608,

High Wycombe,

HP12 9FN

UK Parking Control will respond to your Parking PCN appeal and your UK Parking Control PCN will be cancelled or you will be sent a Notice of Rejection or Representations, which needs to be received promptly in order to contest the notice with the Parking on Private Land Appeals service.

What is a Penalty Charge Notice?

A Penalty Charge Notice is a monetary penalty issued to drivers or motorists for committing certain traffic contraventions including violating Parking, Bus Lane, and Moving Traffic restrictions. A PCN is issued for failing to follow Parking zone, bus lane enforcement, and moving traffic restrictions mentioned in the Road Traffic Act 1984 and the Traffic Management Act 2004.

A penalty charge notice can be handed to you by a Civil Enforcement Officer or dispatched to your (DVLA) residential address by post. Traffic contraventions are observed by CCTV cameras and Civil Enforcement Officers before a violation is detected and the vehicle is charged with a PCN.

A PCN might also be issued for failing to pay road charges on time. You have 28 days to decide how and if you would like to challenge your Penalty Charge Notice. After 28 days if you have neither paid nor challenged your PCN, your unpaid PCN amount will be registered as debt at the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court.

Which parking contravention codes are enforced in UK Parking Control Ltd car parks?

The following parking contravention codes are enforced in UK Parking Control Ltd car parks:

  • Contravention Code 71 parked within an electric vehicle’s charging space without being charged (in restricted hours)
  • Contravention Code 73 parked without paying the required parking charge.  (with a 10-minute observation time)
  • Contravention Code 80 parked in a parking space for a duration longer than that allowed by the car park.  (with a 10-minute observation time)
  • Contravention Code 82 parked after the expiry of the time limit mentioned on the parking permit or pay and display ticket (with a 10-minute observation time)
  • Contravention code 83. Parked in a UK Parking Control Ltd car park without clearly showing the parking permit or pay and display ticket on its windscreen  (with a 10-minute observation time)
  • Contravention code 84. Parked in a UK Parking Control car park with payment made to extend(parking) beyond the original time limit first paid for. You can only buy parking for your vehicle once when you bring your vehicle to the UK Parking Control car park and this amount (time duration) should be enough for your visit.
  • Contravention code 86. A vehicle that is shown not to be clearly parked within its designated parking space.
  • Contravention code 90. A vehicle that has been reparked within the same car park within one hour of leaving the zone
  • Contravention code 93. A vehicle has been left parked inside a car park, while the UK Parking Control Ltd car park was closed.
  • Contravention code 94. A vehicle that has been left parked inside a pay-and-display car park without properly displaying 2 pay and display tickets where required.
  • Contravention code 95. A vehicle that has been left parked within an UK Parking Control Ltd parking zone for a different purpose than that which the car park is meant for.
  • Contravention code 96. A vehicle that has been left parked at an UK Parking Control car park with its engine on (where prohibited)

How Can I Pay My UK Parking Control PCN?

You can pay your UK Parking Control PCN on the online payments page or by calling on the UK Parking Control’s automated payments hotline.

If you prefer to make your PCN fine payment online, you can visit the UK Parking Control website. After opening this webpage  you need to enter your PCN number (Reference) and your Vehicle Registration Number.

UK Parking Control Ltd. accepts Mastercard, Visa Card, Maestro Card and Visa Electron card for PCN fine payments. Diners card and American Express card are not accepted for making PCN payments. 

For paying your PCN you will be asked for your payment card details. Once you have entered the credit or debit card information you can proceed to paying your fine. It must be noted that paying your UK Parking Control PCN eliminates any possibility for challenging the Penalty Charge Notice.

Your UK Parking Control PCN can also be paid by calling on the telephone payments service. You have to dial 0344 545 5450 and enter your PCN number by using a * sign for the letters in the code. After this you will have to enter your payment card details. This automated payments service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You should wait to receive a confirmation code before ending your call.

What happens if I don’t pay my UK Parking Control PCN within 28 days?

You should not consider a private car park PCN any less than a regular PCN issued by your local council. The higher level parking contravention codes enforced by UK Parking Control make you legally bound to respect them while using the company’s parking zones.

If you neither pay your UK Parking Control PCN within 28 days nor decide to appeal against it, you will be sent a letter from the car park company to pay your PCN in full within 14 days. If you donot pay the PCN within the next 14 days, your (nonpayment) case will be passed on to enforcement agents or bailiffs. Your actions will also result in the filing of a court order (for recovery of debts) against you by UK Parking Control Ltd.

Your unpaid Parking PCN amount will be treated as a debt with the Traffic Enforcement Centre at the Northampton County Court.

The court order for debt recovery enforces that the charge certificate amount must be paid in full within 21 days the county court will have to use additional powers to recover the money from your possession which means employing Enforcement Agents, to (contact you or) visit your personal premises.

Can I dispute my Notice of Rejection with POPLA if UK Parking Control dismisses my appeal?

You can dispute your Notice of Rejection of Representations from UK Parking Control Ltd with the Parking on Private Land Appeals service (POPLA). Your challenge can be sent in 2 different ways, the first method is to download the POPLA Appeals Form, print it out and send it to the Parking On Private Land Appeals service postal address:

POPLA,

PO Box 1270,

Warrington,

WA4 9RL

The letter must mention the 10 digit reference number contained in your Notice of Rejection from UK Parking Control Ltd. You need to remember that the appeal to POPLA is just like a regular Parking PCN challenge. You can upload evidence such as video clips of your traffic violation scenes (taken from inside your vehicle), medical certificates from a certified General Practitioner, and scanned copies of “pay and display” tickets.

The evidence is necessary to convince the Parking on Private Land Appeals service that you did not breach the relevant Parking contravention code. You should preferably memorise all these codes before using UK Parking Control’s parking zones so that you know how to challenge a PCN and can do your best to avoid getting one.

If you have mentioned mitigating circumstances in your POPLA appeal, you must be able to explain the cause-and-effect relationship between the condition which led you to commit the traffic violation (such as leaving your vehicle parked for an extended period of time owing to a medical emergency). The evidence material to be sent with your written representation needs to be a document or photographs from the scene of the incident. You can convert a video clip into photographs by using a video player or video editing software by simply taking snapshots of the relevant frames showing your claim.

A first-class mail letter takes between 1 to 2 days to reach POPLA and second-class mail takes between 3 to 5 days. So you need to send in your challenge by the 20th day at the latest for it to be considered side by side with the UK Parking Control legal proposition.

You also need to remember that you must submit a challenge to your Notice of Rejection from UK Parking Control to POPLA within 28 days of receiving your Notice of Rejection.

How can I submit my challenge to the Notice of Rejection of Representations from UK Parking Control by using the online form?

In order to submit your challenge to the Notice of Rejection of Representations from UK Parking Control online, you need to visit the POPLA website. On this page you need to first agree to the terms and tick each one off and enter your 10-digit verification number stated on the Notice of Rejection from UK Parking Control Ltd. You need to click on “I Confirm that the operator is correct” and click on “Start Appeal” after that. On the next page you will be asked for your UK Parking Control PCN Number, Vehicle Registration Number, the reasons for your challenge, and the evidence material to support your case (which can be uploaded onto the POPLA system).

Here you can easily attach evidence material such as video clips and scanned copies of your medical certificates (for supporting your mitigating circumstances) through your computer. It is also an advantage to be able to first edit the text of your formal representation in a word processing software and then transfer it onto the online appeals form on the POPLA website. A better-worded parking contravention challenge that mentions the legal technicalities stated in the Road Traffic Act 1988 or the Traffic Management Act 2004 regarding your parking contravention code to put forward your challenge will be considered as a strong formal representation.

The evidence attached with your challenge should also be correctly matched with the grounds of your appeal and not seem out of place. The document or video clip needs to clearly prove your mitigating circumstances or show that the traffic contravention didn’t occur, and convince POPLA to accept your evidence over that provided by UK Parking Control Ltd.

Once POPLA is satisfied that UK Parking Control’s case has been refuted outright by your representation of the matter, the adjudicator (or assessor) of your case will probably make the final decision in your case.

This decision will be sent to both you and to UK Parking Control via email simultaneously. If the decision by POPLA is made in your favour the Ocean Parking PCN will immediately be cancelled.

If your appeal is rejected by Parking on Private Land Appeals service, you will have to pay the fine within the next 28 days to avoid your case being taken to the debt collection stage by UK Parking Control Ltd.

At POPLA “assessors” or adjudicators of your case will make their final decision based on :

  • The act of legislation your case (traffic contravention) refers to such as the Traffic Management Act 2004
  • The Code of Practice used by The British Parking Association
  • The articles of evidence put forward by UK Parking Control and you which are representing opposing viewpoints of the situation.

Conclusion

This blog post addressed the question “How Can I Challenge A UK Parking Control PCN?” You need to have evidence relating to your PCN challenge readily available with you from before the traffic violation scene. Your Notice of Rejection of Representations from UK Parking Control can further be disputed with the Parking on Private Land Appeals Service to register a fresh appeal.